Tony Gwynn, Baseball Hall of Famer and Famous Resident of Fishers, Indiana

High on the roster offamous people from Fishers is the name of Tony Gwynn. “Mr. Padre” produced a lifetime pro-ball career as a right fielder for the San Diego Padres that got him into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He also produced a son, Tony Gwynn Jr., who just might be on his way to the same accomplishment.

Currently, Gwynn splits his time between his home in Fishers, a suburb of Indianapolis in Central Indiana, and his other residence in San Diego County, California.

Here’s a moving tribute video for Tony Gwynn, with some great action clips, close-ups and lots of hugs.

In 2007, Gwynn became a Baseball Hall of Fame inductee not only for his long service to the Padres, but most importantly, for his excellent game statistics. A powerful player in a power position, he became known as one of the best contact hitters in baseball. Never turning in less than .309 in a full season, he only struck out 434 times out of 9,288 times at bat over the course of his career, remarkable numbers, even today. The Padres retired his uniform number, 19, in 2004.

Born in Los Angeles and raised in nearby Long Beach, Gwynn became a star athlete in high school, a trend that was to continue through his college basketball and baseball days for the SDSU Aztecs, and during his professional career in baseball. A draft choice by both the San Diego Clippers and the Padres, Gwynn opted to play baseball, and the rest is history.

Tony Gwynn‘s illustrious career raked in many honors in recognition of his achievements, and he also put up many records playing ball. A National League batting champion for eight years and an All-Star fifteen times, Gwynn was considered one of the best hitters in the game, making it to number 49 out of The Sporting News’ 100 Greatest Baseball Players list.

The remarkable athlete retired in 2001 with a lifetime batting average of .338 and 3,141 hits beside his name. Many fans and experts consider Tony Gwynn the best player the San Diego Padres ever had.

In this short video clip, you’ll watch along with Tony Gwynn as his statue is unveiled in 2007 at San Diego’s Petco Park, the Padres’ home stadium.

Today, as head baseball coach for San Diego State University, Tony Gwynn is in a position to pass on his secrets to a new generation of players eager to follow in his footsteps. He is also a frequent ESPN commentator, and an expert analyst for Yahoo! Sports. The baseball facility at SDSU is named after him, and his likeness is enshrined in a ten-foot statue at Petco Park, the Padres’ home stadium in San Diego (see video above).